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Thread: To get out of ULF or not?

  1. #1

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    To get out of ULF or not?

    So I love shooting with ULF, but I'm in school full time for another 5 years.

    I have hardly had the time for 8x10 shooting, mostly shooting medium format as of late.

    I've got a single 11x14 holder and from time to time borrow a friends 11x14 Century, and I have 3 14x17 holders and a home made box camera (which I've posted my YouTube video on that in the past) and a ton of film.

    Summer's coming and I know I might have more time to refine the box camera for focusing and such, but I also have to finish my darkroom, the 8x10 is up and running, but needs some maintenance as its not holding still on focus and is drifting. So I'm still unsure if I'll be able enlarge the 8x10.

    I'm also a broke college student, and I kind of need the $1,000 or so I could get for selling at least 2 of the 14x17 holders. But that only leaves me with one of each, or get out of 11x14 and stick to 14x17 and maybe keep 2 and end up with $800 or so off the 11x14 and one 14x17 holders.

    I'm just stuck, I'm also trying to clear space and distractions to focus on making better images when I have the time after my studies are done.

    But each size carries its own benefits, there's just a translation that happens with an ULF image that's different than an enlarged 8x10 or 6x4.5 or anything. Even if the FL's are the same or equivalent.

    I know this is an age old question, but any advice would be welcome. I could always re-acquire stuff later, but most likely at a higher price right? I'm not purging lenses or anything, I've been very careful and specific to make sure all lenses cross over so I also needed less lenses overall. I only "need" 2 lenses and both are relatively cheap ($400 or so if I'm patient) and I don't have money for them anyway obviously since I need money for real life things (CC and car maintenance).

    So what do you guys think? I have grand plans in the works for the summer, but do I really have the time? Is it worth it? I know some of this is "only you can decide" but some advice or words of wisdom would be nice.

    NO this is not a post requesting offers, if I had already decided to sell I would just post a FS add. Just wondering if there's something I haven't thought of.

  2. #2
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    If your 'hobby' is taking away from your MFA Art studies and is not directly related to the degree, you must change plans and use the next 5 years very carefully.

    Soon you will be old and wonder where the time went.

    Sell it all and travel for Art purpose and study.

    I don't regret spending months in Paris, Venice and London studying art. I wish I had gotten to China. Now I never will.

    Time is way more valuable than money.

  3. #3
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    You are studying art / photography and you don't have time to shoot even your "regular" format? I think you put too many irons in the fire instead of actually making photographs.

    I have a Masters already and I'm transitioning out of that field. It's never too late I suppose. I wonder if you really know what you want to do (and it's okay not to).

    Make time for what's important. If you aren't doing that, then don't try to force it. Frankly I wonder if your insistence on shooting 8x10 only is already handicapping you.
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  4. #4

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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    If you don't plan to use the equipment very much for the next five years my advice would be to sell it. You will always be able to replace this type of equipment at a later date. And, in five years your interest and goals may have changed. There is no sane reason to hold on to equipment that is not being used, unless it is for collectible or sentimental reasons.

    In my opinion the major stumbling block to ULF photography in 5-10 years will not be equipment, but the cost of film. Cost of film is much higher today than it was ten years ago, and will almost surely continue to go up in the next decade. When I began working with 20X24 the cost of film was less than $5 a sheet, when I got out of this format the cost was over $25 per sheet, and has continued to rise. So if you want to put a hold on your use of ULF consider getting rid of the equipment and holding on to the film (frozen of course).


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  5. #5

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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    Thanks guys, Randy and Corran, my MFA will be in Photography but first I need to get my AFA (associates in Fine arts) and BFA (bachelors in studio arts) which is why I have 5 years left, 1 for the AFA, 2 more for the BFA and then 2 for the MFA.

    But they don't have any photo-specific degrees near my location so I'm taking no actual photo courses for the next 3 years at least.

    Sorry I forgot to clarify that.

    Shooting 8x10 to me is no different than 4x5, it takes the same amount of time, just a bigger backpack.

    Sandy, sound advice, I hear you on that. The 14x17 film I have is the Ektascan which is super cheap. $2/sheet and I already shoot that in 8x10 so testing is easy.

    But I suppose in 5 years that film might be phased out as well.

    Hmm, things to think about. Thanks.

  6. #6
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    My personal opinion, which I may have said before, is that you should go to a different undergrad program. That's messed up. Also, many MFA programs are 3 years now, if not most.
    Bryan | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Portfolio
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  7. #7

    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    Sell your equipment and get back into it at the correct time. Just put two kids through college and the best advice I could give you (as I gave my kids that they used) was to get a degree that you have an 80% or greater chance of making a living/saving for retirement wage at. They took the advice and are on their own and are on a secure path. Five years of college to get a degree that is (honestly) not worth much (experience is as valuable in this regard when we chose to be perfectly honest) is highly suspect if we want to be perfectly honest. The real world we live in is cold, hard and intensely problematic and needs to be accepted for what it is rather than what we hope it could be. The pressure of paying back a student loan when you are working your ass off just to make a living let alone cover the ancillary obligations redefines the term stressful. This is the reason that college enrollment is going through a complete stem to stern transformation resulting in much lower college enrollment. No longer can college students get a "degree" and assume they are secure. The degree you pursue is absolutely critical to your future and chasing a dream or your heart is immaterial to the realities of the market value of said objective. Finance, economics, the sciences are the core of employment. There is nothing wrong with managing this risk.

    I chose to stay aside from photography / and architecture as a profession to pursue an engineering degree and participate in photography as a sideline and I can honestly say that it was the best decision I could ever make. The ability to not be concerned about saving for retirement and the flexibility to make images I want to make when I chose to make them. Just buy $0.02. I wish you well.

  8. #8
    Angus Parker angusparker's Avatar
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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Corran View Post
    My personal opinion, which I may have said before, is that you should go to a different undergrad program. That's messed up. Also, many MFA programs are 3 years now, if not most.
    There are also a bunch of distance learning programs, and programs with concentrated residency (like in the summer) with the remainder distance.

  9. #9
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    You don't know how your work is going to evolve over the next 5 years. Sell the gear you are not using and if you can set the $ aside so you can explore what evolves during your education. And yes explore some of the limited residency programs out there. Some have really good reps like Hartford and SAIC. SCAD's online MFA is pretty demanding and great for working guys, I have a friend in it now. It is not a bullshit degree-he works his ass off.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  10. #10

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    Re: To get out of ULF or not?

    Size isn't everything. I'm sure you can do good stuff with your smaller equipment. Good luck on your education!

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